Is Vladimir Putin Dead?

In late October 2023, a number of viral online posts and articles claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin had died on Oct. 26, 2023, and a coup was underway in Moscow.

The rumors reportedly spread after a Telegram channel called General SVR claimed Putin had gone into cardiac arrest on Oct. 22, 2023. Other reports claimed Putin had been using a body double since.

A Nov. 2, 2023, post on X cited Valery Solovey, a Russian political analyst, saying he confirmed Putin’s death in an interview, adding, “Now he [Putin] is...